The number of people from Georgia seeking international protection in Ireland increased dramatically during 2022, with almost a 10-fold increase in applicants in June compared to January.
In all, more than 1,100 Georgian nationals sought asylum in Ireland in the first six months of 2022. This is three-times higher than the total for the entirety of 2021 when there were less than 400. The figures for the first half of the year are also twice as high as the entire 12 months of 2019, the last directly comparable pre-Covid year. The overall figure for that year was 631.
Figures for the first six months of the year show a pattern of increasing numbers each month. There were 49 in January; 57 in February; 113 in March; 198 in April; 340 in May and 424 in June. Informed sources have said early indications are that the figures for July will be higher.
Georgia is deemed to be a safe country of origin under the International Protection Act 2015. The former *Soviet republic is one of a small number of States seeking to become a candidate country for European Union membership. In June, the European Commission deferred a decision on giving Georgia EU candidate status and instead proposed a “conditional perspective” of membership that would depend on it passing reforms.
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The figures regarding the number of Georgians arriving in Ireland were supplied as part of a parliamentary reply to Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan. Responding to the figures, Mr Flanagan said that Georgia was a country with firm designs on EU membership.
“The Georgian people are pro EU. The Georgian government continues to present its EU credentials. It seems curious, therefore, that so many Georgians are ‘fleeing’ Georgia and seeking international protection in Ireland. I am concerned. This matter requires further and more intense scrutiny by the Irish authorities,” he said.
There has been a sharp increase in the number of people seeking international protection in Ireland this year in addition to refugees from Ukraine. It has left the authorities struggling to find emergency accommodation for all those coming in.
The Department of Justice is now working on new arrangements that will see processing of asylum applications hugely expedited for those people coming from safe countries of origin. According to sources, the new scheme, being worked on by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, will see the process of determining refugee status being reduced to as little as two months, compared to the two-three years it takes at present. In addition, the Government will resume deportation in the near future, having suspended it during the Covid pandemic.
“For those who are in the international protection process, our objective is to have decisions made on their applications, including the permission to remain in consideration, as soon as possible,‘’ Ms McEntee told Mr Flanagan in her reply. She added: “The substantially higher number of applications currently being received will present a significant challenge in achieving this. My department is taking all possible steps to ensure we can process applications as quickly as possible.”
The Irish Refugee Council said it would take a little time to get an insight on the increase in numbers. Previously, its chief executive Nick Henderson told The Irish Times that what is happening in Ireland is not unique to the State.
“There has been an increase in the number of people seeking protection across the EU, and Ireland continues to take a very small proportion of people seeking asylum.
“Greater instability and conflict around the world has pushed people to move. During the pandemic, travel in effect stopped and as the pandemic has waned people have been able to move.”
*This article was amended on December 20th, 2022
